KwaXimba residents cheered when they learned their water supply issues will be over soon.
This after Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo visited the area to assess progress of the KwaXimba Water Treatment Package Plant on Monday.
uMngeni-uThukela Water is the bulk water supplier to eThekwini and is responsible for implementing and managing the package plant project, which consists of a 2 megalitres per day (ml/d) (completed Phase 1) and a 7 ml/d (Phase 2) water treatment portable plant.
uMngeni-uThukela Water implemented a two-phased package plant in KwaXimba, costing over R378 million. It will address water challenges experienced by the local community and others within eThekwini Metro and the surrounding areas.
The two eThekwini reservoirs, D1821 and D1818, will receive potable water from the package plant which will ultimately supply water to 18 villages in and around KwaXimba (Mvini, Bhobhonono, Nkandla, Nonoti, Msunduze, Mhali, Esiweni, Livapo, Nconcosi, Ntukusweni, Zwelisha, Kajabula, Othweba, Kwanyoni, Skhoxe, Kwadenge and Emngacwini).
There is an outstanding infrastructure project of the plant to upgrade a four-kilometre bulk water supply pipeline. The project is 47% complete and is estimated to be completed in December 2025.
Majodina told residents the KwaXimba Water Treatment Package Plant was theirs for water provision.
She said that when the uMkhomazi Water Project is finalised in three to four years, more water will go to eThekwini.
“We know the challenges of water in eThekwini, especially the upper-lying areas. People are not getting water. So we’ll be intervening in the meantime to ensure that we relieve the pressure from eThekwini, hence, we’re bringing this plant here,” Majodina said.
Seitlholo explained that due to ongoing water challenges in the area, a two-megalitre relief system was established for the community.
This was later increased to a total of seven megalitres by adding an additional five-megalitre system. This expansion aims to supplement the existing two-megalitre supply and ensure that the majority of the community has access to water.
“There’s now a commitment from uMngeni-uThukela Water that there will be another pipeline that will be linked and opened in a month, so that they will be able to augment the provision of water to the other side. Whereas the entire community in the area will then be able to have access to that particular water,” Seitlholo said.
He said the entire community will have water by the end of April. He based this on the work that uMngeni-uThukela Water has done on the package plant.
“We hope that the community will take responsibility for this particular plant as it will be handed over to eThekwini Municipality and that they will be responsible for the security thereof and make sure that there isn’t anything that is being damaged,” Seitlholo said.
“These are expensive pumps that require the utmost in security, and we encourage the community to be the ones who become at the forefront of this particular plan.”
Seitlholo said over R350 million has been invested, and they hope that, with the community’s support in ensuring that no damage occurs, they will be able to successfully deliver on the mandate of this investment.
On behalf of eThekwini Municipality mayor Cyril Xaba, councillor Sifiso Mkhize said: “We’ve made water a priority in the municipality. We will ensure we end water issues in KwaXimba.”